updated 06:45 pm EDT, Sat October 15, 2011

Google Voice temporarily out of iOS App Store

Google has temporarily but voluntarily pulled Google Voice for iOS devices (App Store, cached) following a major bug with iOS 5. At least some users are reporting the app crashing when they try to sign in. Senior Product Manager Vincent Paquet explained that the company didn't want the problem to spread before it could provide a fix.

The company doesn't have an estimate for when the app will return.

Google Voice has had a relatively problematic history at Apple that for some had prompted worries. The app was originally intended to arrive as far back as 2009 but was kept out for allegedly duplicating while somehow reducing functionality. A lack of OS support for multitasking in third-party apps at the time may have been one factor, but many saw it as 'punishment' from Apple for Android. Both iOS 4 and loosened app rules eventually helped the app reach iOS devices in November 2010. [viaEngadget]

Why am I not surprised?

Third-party apps are better anyway!

Really? Google can't even figure out to log into their own services while third-party applications don't seem to have any problems with that? I have been using GV Connect (http://bit.ly/nDIqKI) for almost a year now and stuck with it even after Google released their application - GV Connect has much more features and is faster than Google's own app!